Strengthening and extending universal services would be a more effective way of tackling global poverty and improving wellbeing than a universal basic income (UBI), according to a report by the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP).
The report, ‘Universal Basic Services: Theory and Practice’, finds that expanding access and broadening provision of Universal Basic Services (UBS) into new areas including childcare, adult social care, transport and digital information would be of greatest value to people in the lowest income groups.
Access to public services can reduce income inequalities by providing a ‘social wage’ that is worth more to people in the lowest income groups, offering a more targeted approach than UBI. Such services, including those historically protected such as access to quality education and healthcare, bring intrinsic benefits without which individuals and families are less likely to be able to meet their own needs.
